Home
by Helena Bellatrix
Summary: Cara was never a Mord'Sith. Dahlia was. Stuff happens.
1. Chapter 1

Cara was on her way home from the market, a basket of various fruits and vegetables in her arms. It was early summer, and Cara, now eighteen years old, had just finished her last year of school. She had always been a good student, and in the fall she was to begin teaching.

She thought she heard something in the woods behind her, and paused. She looked carefully through the trees around her, and when she saw nothing, she continued walking, deciding that she had imagined it. A few minutes later, she heard the noise again. She whirled around, positive now that she had not imagined it. Again she saw nothing behind her. She sighed in frustration and turned back toward her home again. Standing in front of her was a tall, fierce-looking man. His brown hair was barely half an inch long, and he had a long scar running from his forehead, across his right eye and down to his chin. Cara recognized him as a thief and murderer who had been hiding out in the woods around Stowecroft for the past month or so. She had often been cautioned by her parents not to be in the woods around or after dark, as that had been when most people had gone missing. But it was only just past noon, and she hadn't expected to encounter him this early in the day.

The man held a long curved knife to her throat, and Cara involuntarily took a step back, only to find herself backed into a large tree. She carefully analyzed her situation, and thought it didn't look good. There was no possible way she could get away from this man. He was much larger than her, and the knife at her throat definitely wasn't doing anything in her favour. However grim her predicament, she decided she would not show this man any fear. If she was going to die, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing how scared she was. She carefully pushed away her fear, and let a disdainful glare descend over her face.

"Don't even think about screaming," the man said in a threatening voice.

"I wasn't planning on it," Cara replied in a voice to match her glare.

"Good," the man said. He watched her face carefully, trying to detect any hint of fear.

Cara was trying hard to keep herself from shaking. When the man didn't say anything else, she raised an eyebrow at him and smirked. She noted with satisfaction that he began to look a bit flustered.

"You're not even going to beg me to spare your life?" the man asked menacingly.

"I have much more interesting things I could be doing with my time," Cara said, trying to sound bored.

"I'm going to kill you," he said in the same menacing voice. "doesn't that scare you at all?"

"Not really," Cara said, leaning against the tree and still trying to look and sound bored.

"I'm going to kill you slowly," the man said, the frustration apparent in his voice. "You won't die for a long time. You'll lay here slowly bleeding out for hours, and no one will find you until it's too late."

"What are you going to do, talk me to death?" Cara taunted him, smirking again. She noticed that he was loosening his grip on the knife, obviously trying to concentrate on scaring her with his threats.

"No," he said, "I'm going to –"

Before he could finish, Cara grabbed the knife away from him and held it to his chest.

"You know what your problem is?" she asked, pushing the top of his shirt open with the knife and dragging it slowly down the center of his chest so it left a deep cut there. "You're all talk." She smirked again. "I bet you couldn't hurt me if you tried. You're pathetic," she continued. "Don't you have anything better to do than terrorize helpless girls? Are you too scared to pick on someone your own size? Afraid that they might get the best of you?" With her free hand she slapped him as hard as she could across the face. "You make me sick," she spat scornfully.

Cara's insults seemed to enrage him, making him forget about the danger of the knife which she now held at his throat. He seized her wrist, forcing the knife away from him, then hit her hard in the face with his fist, causing her to fall to the ground. When she was on the ground, he kicked her hard in the side. Cara knew it was over, there was nothing else she could do, but still she refused to show her fear. As the man raised the knife to finish her off, he suddenly screamed in pain and turned around. Behind him Cara saw a tall woman with reddish-brown hair which was back in a tight braid. Cara recognized her crimson leather immediately. She was a Mord'Sith.

Cara watched as the Mord'Sith hit the man hard with her agiel, then jabbed it into his chest. He fell to the ground, dead. She gave him a disgusted look and put her agiel away.

"That was impressive," the woman said to Cara.

Cara couldn't hold her fear back anymore. She lay shaking on the ground, tears leaking from her eyes. The Mord'Sith walked over to her, and knelt down next to her.

"Are you okay?" she asked, helping Cara sit up. When she got no answer, she put a finger under Cara's chin and gently lifted her face.

"Cara, are you alright?" she asked again. She gently wiped the blood off Cara's lip with her thumb.

Cara quickly looked up, slightly alarmed. "How do you know my name?" she asked.

"You didn't think I'd forget you, did you?" the Mord'Sith said, smiling slightly.

"Dahlia…?" Cara whispered, finally recognizing the woman who had been her best friend when they were children.

Dahlia smiled and nodded. "You still didn't answer my question," she said.

"I'm fine," Cara said.

"Are you sure?" Dahlia asked, looking doubtful, Cara's shaking not going unnoticed.

"Yes, I'll be fine," Cara answered. She hesitantly lifted a hand to stroke Dahlia's cheek. "It's really you," she said quietly. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"I've missed you, Cara," Dahlia said, smiling.

"I missed you too," Cara answered. She was silent for a moment, then voiced the question that was on her mind. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see you," Dahlia answered.

Cara threw her arms around Dahlia's neck and hugged her tightly. Dahlia hugged her back, then helped her stand up.

"Come on," Dahlia said, starting to gather up the food Cara had dropped. "I'll walk you home."

A while later Cara and Dahlia reached the edge of the woods by the house where Cara lived with her family. Cara didn't want to say goodbye so soon, but she knew that she couldn't bring a Mord'Sith into the village in broad daylight. She turned to Dahlia and hugger her tightly.

"Come back after dark," she said. "Please?" she added, looking hopeful.

Dahlia smiled slightly at the hopeful expression on Cara's face. "Yes, I'll come back," she said.

Cara smiled happily at this, and Dahlia couldn't help but think how adorable she looked when she smiled.

"Come to that window, and I'll let you in," Cara said, pointing to her bedroom window. "And I'll have to give you something else to wear, you'll be arrested if people find out you're a Mord'Sith."

Dahlia hugged Cara and handed her the basket of food which she had carried back for her. "I'll see you tonight, then," she said.

"Promise you'll come?" Cara asked.

"I Promise," Dahlia said.

Dahlia watched as Cara walked back to the house. Cara paused before opening the door to turn around and wave at Dahlia, smiling. Dahlia waved back. 'My god, she's cute,' Dahlia thought as she turned and walked back into the woods.


	2. Chapter 2

Cara entered the house and placed the basket of food on the kitchen table. Her mother and sister were in the kitchen preparing lunch.

"Cara, what happened?" her mother said in a concerned voice when she noticed the bruise on Cara's forehead and her bloody lip.

"Oh, nothing, I'm fine," Cara said absentmindedly, not really caring about the bruises.

"That doesn't look like nothing to me," Grace said, walking over to Cara. "Come with me, you need to get cleaned up."

Cara allowed Grace to lead her to her room, where sat down on her bed. "I'll be right back," Grace said, then left.

Grace returned a few minutes later with a basin of water and a cloth. She began washing the dirt and blood off of Cara's face.

"Cara, what really happened?" she asked after a while. "I promise I won't tell anyone, if you don't want me to."

"I was attacked," Cara said simply.

"By who?" Grace asked, alarmed. "That man who's been killing people?"

Cara smiled slightly at Grace's choice of words. "Yes, it was him," she said.

"Where is he now?" Grace asked.

"Dead," Cara replied simply.

"Dead?" Grace sounded surprised. "You killed him?"

"No, not me," Cara laughed. She thought it absurd that anyone would think she would be able to kill someone twice her size.

"Then who?"

"A Mord'Sith," Cara answered.

"Why would a Mord'Sith help you? Wouldn't she just kill you as well?" Grace asked.

"They're not just cold-hearted killers, Grace," Cara said. "It's not like they kill every person they see."

Grace looked at her quizzically. "There's no need to get all defensive," she said. After she finished cleaning Cara's face, she looked her sister up and down. "You should probably change your dress," she said. "It's quite dirty." She went to the closet and got a new dress out and handed it to Cara.

"Thanks," Cara said, taking the dress.

"I'll do all your chores for you today, if you just want to rest." Grace still sounded concerned.

"No, that's alright," Cara said, "I'm fine. But thanks for offering."

All day Cara couldn't stop smiling. She couldn't wait until the sun set so she could see Dahlia again. Both Grace and her mother noticed this change in Cara. Not only was she constantly smiling, but she seemed to be somewhere else altogether.

"I wonder what's gotten into her," Cara's mother commented to Grace.

"Probably some boy," Grace said. She looked up at her mother to find an alarmed look on her face. She suddenly realized what she had said, and how it must have sounded. "Oh, you know what I meant," she giggled, playfully throwing the shirt she'd been folding in her mother's face.

That night, Cara ate her dinner much more quickly than usual, and rushed off to her room. It was almost dark, and Dahlia would be arriving shortly. She changed into a short, light nightdress, as it was a warm night. After she had laid her dress over the chair in her room, she sat down on the bed to wait.

It wasn't long at all before she heard a knock on the window. She jumped up and rushed to open the window. Dahlia climbed through, and then Cara shut the window once more.

"Hi," Cara said, smiling shyly.

"How was your day?" Dahlia asked.

"Long," Cara said. "Really long…"

Dahlia grinned at this. "Couldn't wait to see me again, could you?" she teased.

Cara mock glared at her, then hugged her. She pulled back slightly, eyeing Dahlia's leather.

"That can't be comfortable to sleep in," she said.

Dahlia raised an eyebrow at Cara. "Trying to get me out of my clothes already?" she laughed.

Cara looked away, blushing. "No, I—I just meant…" she stammered.

"I know what you meant," Dahlia said, smiling.

Cara handed Dahlia one of her other night dresses, and faced the other way while Dahlia changed into it. Dahlia smiled slightly at Cara's modesty, but didn't say anything.

After Dahlia had changed and draped her leathers across the chair next the Cara's dress, Cara climbed into bed, and Dahlia climbed in next to her. Cara tried to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes she was overwhelmed by visions of her attacker. After some time she sighed in frustration, and decided to just give up on sleep.

"Cara?" Dahlia asked, "Are you okay?"

"I just can't sleep," Cara answered. "Every time I close my eyes I see him…"

"Come here," Dahlia whispered, pulling Cara closer.

Cara curled up with her back to Dahlia, the other woman's arms holding her gently.

"It's okay," Dahlia whispered in Cara's ear, "You're safe."

Dahlia tightened her embrace, and Cara moaned slightly in pain as Dahlia's arm put pressure on her bruised ribs.

"Cara?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you okay?" Dahlia asked again.

"Just sore," Cara answered.

"Let me see," Dahlia whispered.

Dahlia sat up and rolled Cara onto her back. Dahlia gently pushed Cara's dress up to reveal the dark bruise on her side. She lit the candle which sat on the table next to Cara's bed, and held it over Cara so as to get a better look at her injuries.

"If I hadn't already killed that bastard, I'd kill him again for doing this to you," Dahlia said darkly.

She gently ran her fingers over the bruise, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Cara's breathing quickened at the feeling of Dahlia's fingers on her bare skin. Dahlia noticed this, and smiled slightly, but didn't say anything. She let her thoughts drift off, but was quickly brought back to reality by a sharp gasp from Cara. Dahlia looked down and noticed the hot candle wax had dripped onto Cara's bare stomach.

"Sorry," Dahlia said sheepishly, wiping the wax off with her finger. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Cara smiled slightly. "It's okay," she said. "It didn't hurt that much. It was just…unexpected…" she added.

Dahlia replaced the candle on the table and blew it out. She lay back down and took Cara in her arms once again. Cara rested her head on Dahlia's shoulder and snuggled up against her, draping one arm over her waist. Dahlia closed her eyes and rested her cheek against the top of Cara's head, and she heard Cara sigh contentedly. She smiled and held her a little tighter. After a few moments, Dahlia felt Cara shift slightly, and then felt Cara's lips gently press against her own. Dahlia smiled and returned Cara's kiss just as gently. After a moment, Cara pulled away, rested her head back on Dahlia's shoulder, and let her eyes drift closed.

"I always wanted to do that when we were younger," Dahlia whispered in Cara's ear, "But I never had the courage."

Cara smiled. "I know," she said. "I never had the courage either."

Dahlia gently kissed the top of Cara's head. "Goodnight," she whispered. Cara didn't answer, and Dahlia's lips curled upwards in a small smile as she realized that Cara was already asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Cara awoke the next morning to the sound of her bedroom door opening and closing. She opened her eyes and saw that Dahlia was already awake. She looked and saw Grace standing by the door, a bemused expression on her face.

"Good morning, Grace," Cara said to her sister, smiling pleasantly.

Grace's eyes wandered to the chair, where she saw Cara's dress next to the red leather of a Mord'Sith. She looked even more confused for a moment, before she understood.

"Cara, why is there a Mord'Sith in your bed?" she asked, looking slightly frightened.

Cara cuddled closer to Dahlia and kissed her on the nose. "She was just so tantalizing, I couldn't help myself," she said over-dramatically.

"…tantalizing…?" Grace asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Mm-hmm." Cara smiled slightly.

"Okay then…" Grace said, turning to leave. "I'll leave you two to get dressed."

"Grace?" Cara said before her sister opened the door. "Don't tell anyone that Dahlia is a Mord'Sith, okay?"

"I wasn't planning to," Grace said, smiling kindly at her younger sister. With that, she opened the door and left, closing it gently behind her.

Cara got up and walked across the room to the closet. She jumped slightly as she felt Dahlia's arms wrap around her waist from behind. She hadn't even heard the Mord'Sith get out of bed. Dahlia smiled slightly at Cara's surprise before brushing her hair out of the way and kissing her neck. Cara shivered slightly, then turned around and handed Dahlia a dress.

"This should fit," she said.

After changing, Cara and Dahlia went into the kitchen to get breakfast. The rest of Cara's family was already sitting at the table.

"Good morning," Cara said as she and Dahlia sat down.

"How come you didn't tell us you had a friend visiting?" Cara's mother asked.

"I would have, but I didn't know," Cara answered. "She only arrived last night, and I didn't know she was coming."

"Would you care to introduce us, Cara?" her father asked.

"It's Dahlia," Cara answered, smiling. "Surely you remember her?"

"Oh course," her mother said. "But weren't you taking by the Mord'Sith?" she asked Dahlia.

"I was, yes," Dahlia answered politely, "But I escaped. I've been living with an elderly couple a few days journey from here. I didn't want to risk coming back here in case they came looking for me."

Cara was a bit nervous that her parents would not believe Dahlia's story. She looked at them carefully after Dahlia had finished talking, and was relieved to see that they seemed to be buying it.

After breakfast, Dahlia insisted on helping Cara with her chores. They began by taking the dirty clothes down to the creek to wash them. As they were washing, Dahlia accidentally splashed some water in Cara's face.

"Hey," Cara said, "you did that on purpose!"

"Did not," Dahlia answered, smiling.

Cara didn't say anything. She gave Dahlia a mischievous smirk, and then splashed a great deal of water in her direction. A significant splash fight then ensued. This went on for some time, until Dahlia finally tackled Cara into the water. The two girls crawled up onto the shore, where they lay giggling breathlessly for a while, until Dahlia suggested that they take the clothes back to the house.

"That's probably a good idea," Cara said, looking at the sky. "It's probably getting close to lunch time anyway."

They walked back to the house with the wet clothing, and hung it on the line to dry. As they were doing that, Cara's mother came outside with some bread and cheese.

"I brought you girls lunch," she said, eyeing their soaked clothing but not saying anything.

"Thank you," Cara said, taking the food from her mother.

Cara and Dahlia went to sit under the big oak tree by the side of the house. They sat side by side, leaning against the trunk of the tree. They ate in silence, and when they finished, Cara got up and moved to sit on the wooden swing hanging from a branch of the tree. Dahlia followed her, standing in front of her and holding onto the ropes which the swing was hanging from.

"Do you ever miss it?" Cara asked.

"Miss what?" Dahlia said, not sure what Cara was talking about.

"Just…living here. With nothing really to worry about," Cara said, looking up at Dahlia.

"Sometimes," Dahlia admitted. "I mostly miss you though."

Cara smiled, and Dahlia pushed the swing backward, causing Cara to slip off so she was standing again, leaning with her lower back on the swing. Cara looked down shyly as Dahlia stepped even closer to her.

"Cara," Dahlia whispered.

Cara looked up at the slightly taller woman and found their lips barely an inch apart. Dahlia brought her lips to Cara's in a sweet, innocent kiss.

"I love you," she said, smiling at Cara.

Cara smiled back. "I love you too," she whispered.

Cara's mother witnessed this whole scene through the kitchen window. She smiled slightly. She had always known there was something more than just friendship between Cara and Dahlia. But Dahlia had been taken by the Mord'Sith before either of the girls could figure out exactly what they felt for each other. She was glad that they finally understood their feelings for one another.

After a while Cara and Dahlia came into the house the change into dry clothes. They emerged from Cara's room after a few minutes and went to hang the wet dresses on the line with the clothes they had just washed. Cara informed her mother that they were going to the market, and that they would eat there. During the summer, the market was always very full of people. There were always performers on a small stage in the center of the market. The performances ranged from music, to small plays, to acrobatics.

They walked through the market for a while, holding hands and talking quietly. They stopped at one stand and bought some fruit, and at another some soup, and some fresh bread at another. They found a place near the stage to sit down and eat the food, and watched as a man juggled burning torches, adding more and more until he was juggling eight at once. He finished and took a bow, and everyone cheered loudly.

When he exited the stage, Dahlia got an idea. "Cara, you should sing!" she said enthusiastically. She and Cara had sung often when they were children, and she remembered that Cara had a gorgeous voice.

"I don't know…" Cara said hesitantly. Dahlia thought she looked slightly worried.

"Come on," Dahlia said encouragingly. "You have nothing to be worried about."

Dahlia stood up and pulled Cara up with her. She gently pushed Cara toward the stage. Everyone saw this and started cheering.

"Now you have to do it," Dahlia said, motioning to the crowd. "You wouldn't want to disappoint them, would you?"

"Fine," Cara said. "But you owe me."

Dahlia grinned at her. "Oh, I'll more than make it up to you," she said. "I promise."

Cara climbed up the stairs onto the stage. A group of men with instruments quickly volunteered to accompany her. She told them the song and key, and when the crowd had quieted down some, they began to play. Cara waited for the mournful introduction to finish, and then she began to sing.

It doesn't matter what I want

It doesn't matter what I need

It doesn't matter if I cry

Don't matter if I bleed

You've been on a road

Don't know where it goes or where it leads

It doesn't matter what I want

It doesn't matter what I need

If you've made up your mind to go

I won't beg you to stay

You've been in a cage

Throw you to the wind, you fly away

During the instrumental break, Cara looked over at Dahlia. She saw Dahlia smiling back at her, tears in her eyes. She looked around, and saw similar expressions on many other faces in the crowd.

It doesn't matter what I want

It doesn't matter what I need

It doesn't matter if I cry

Don't matter if I bleed

Feel the sting of tears

Falling on this face you loved for years

When she finished the song, the crowd cheered wildly. She grinned at Dahlia, and motioned for the Mord'Sith to join her on stage. Dahlia walked gracefully up the stairs and hugged Cara.

"That was beautiful," she whispered.

Cara smiled. "Now you have to sing too," she said.

Dahlia looked uncertain. "I don't know if that's a good idea," she said. "I haven't sung in years."

"You'll be fine," Cara said.

She once again told the men with instruments the song and key, and they began playing immediately. Cara smiled encouragingly at Dahlia, and then began singing.

I'm dying to catch my breath

Oh why don't I ever learn

I've lost all my trust now I'll surely try

To turn it around

Can you still see the heart of me

All my agony fades away

When you hold me in your embrace

Don't tear me down

For all I need

Make my hear a better place

Give me something I can believe

Don't tear me down

You've opened a door now

Don't let it close

Cara looked at Dahlia during the short break. "You're turn," she said, smiling. Dahlia smiled back at her nervously, then began.

I'm here on the edge again

I wish I could let it go

I know that I'm only one step away

From turning around

Dahlia's nervousness disappeared as she heard Cara's voice join hers.

Can you still see the heart of me

All my agony fades away

When you hold me in your embrace

Don't tear me down

For all I need

Cara stopped singing, and Dahlia had the next line alone.

Make my heart a better place

Dahlia glanced at Cara while she was singing this line, and indicated for Cara to take the next line.

Give me something I can believe

Dahlia joined Cara again, singing a harmony in her slightly lower voice.

Don't tear it down

What's left of me

Make my heart a better place

Cara dropped out again.

I tried many times but nothing was real

Make it fade away

Don't break me down

Dahlia stopped and Cara took over for the next phrase.

I want to believe that this is for real

Save me from my fear

Don't tear me down

Cara continued alone for the next part, in a quieter, lighter tone, returning to full volume on the last line.

Don't tear me down

For all I need

Make my heart a better place

There was another short instrumental break, during which Dahlia stepped closer to Cara and took her hand. Cara looked up at Dahlia and smiled happily. She had sincerely missed singing with Dahlia after Dahlia had been taken away. Dahlia began singing after the break, still looking down at Cara.

Don't tear me down

For all I need

Make my heart a better place

Give me something I can believe

Cara joined her once again for the end of the song.

Don't tear it down

What's left of me

Make my heart a better place

Make my heart a better place

Cara and Dahlia smiled at each other as the song finished. The crowd was silent for a minute, awestruck. Then after a moment the loudest cheer Cara had ever heard erupted through the marketplace. She and Dahlia bowed, thanked the musicians, and left the stage.

"Cara," Dahlia said when they were some distance from the stage, "you still have the most beautiful voice I have ever heard."

Cara smiled and shyly accepted the compliment. She was about to speak when she heard a voice behind her calling her name.

"Cara!"

She turned and saw Daniel, a young man who had been vying for her affection for ages, running after her and Dahlia. They stopped walking and Daniel caught up to them. He looked at Dahlia.

"I've never seen you before," he said.

"Daniel, this is Dahlia," Cara explained. "She used to live here a while ago. When we were children."

"Oh," Daniel said, then turned back to Cara. "I had no idea you could sing like that," he said.

"Well, I haven't been singing as much since Dahlia left," she answered. Daniel looked slightly frustrated at the fact that Dahlia had her arm around Cara, and Cara wasn't doing anything about it.

"So…" he began. "Can I take you out to dinner sometime?"

Cara sighed. "You never give up, do you?" she asked, smiling slightly.

"I try not to lose hope," he said. "I just keep telling myself that one of these days you'll change your mind and give me a chance."

Cara sighed again. "Daniel, I don't mean to be unkind, but you're wasting your time. You should find someone who is interested." Daniel looked very gloomy. "You're a handsome man, and there are plenty of girls in the village who would love to have dinner with you. I'm just not one of them. I'm sorry."

"But why won't you give me a chance?" he asked sadly.

"I don't want to waste your time, Daniel," she said. "I love Dahlia, and nothing can change that."

"Okay," he said. "I'll see you around." He cast a jealous look at Dahlia as he turned and walked away.

"Has this been going on for long?" Dahlia asked.

"Only a few years," Cara said, sounding a bit annoyed.

"I could…talk some sense into him, if you like," Dahlia offered, thinking of her agiel, which was currently back in Cara's room with her leathers.

Cara gave her a skeptical look. "That's okay," she said, "he's nice, just very persistent."

"I just don't want you to get hurt," Dahlia said in a concerned voice.

"Don't worry about it," Cara said, "Daniel's harmless."

"He might be," Dahlia began, "but his friend certainly doesn't seem that way," she continued, nodding toward a very angry-looking young man walking in their direction. Cara recognized him immediately. It was Michael, Daniels friend. No doubt Daniel had told him what had happened.

He came to a stop in front of them, and when he spoke, Cara found that she had been right.

"Daniel told me what happened," he said, glaring at her.

"And…?" Cara said, glaring back. She and Michael had never gotten along very well.

"I'm going to make you pay," he said, grabbing her arm roughly.

Cara shook him off and pushed him away. "I'm sure if that's what Daniel wanted, he would have done it himself," she said.

"No he wouldn't. He'd never try to hurt you," Michael sneered. "Fortunately, I don't share his affection for you." He raised his hand and swung it toward her, intending to hit her. But Dahlia was quicker. She caught his fist a foot from Cara's face, and twisted his arm behind his back before Cara knew what was happening. Michael yelled in pain, catching the attention of some of the other people in the market.

"Apologize," Dahlia said firmly. Michael set his jaw firmly and didn't say anything. "Alright, have it your way," Dahlia said nonchalantly. She twisted his arm even farther, bringing him down to his knees as he cried out in pain again.

"Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Michael yelled, on the verge of tears.

"That's better," Dahlia said, letting him go.

"I'm going to get you for that," he said menacingly.

"I sincerely doubt that," Dahlia said smugly "but you can try."

Michael glared at Dahlia, then turned to leave. He quickly turned back around to hit Dahlia, but once again, she was too quick for him. She blocked his fist and pushed him away, spinning him off balance. He regained his balance and swung at her again. She stepped to the side so his fist went past her head, and she hit him hard in the chin, causing him to lose his balance again and fall over.

"Better luck next time," she said. She turned to Cara. "Let's go."

Cara took Dahlia's hand and the two of them turned at walked toward Cara's home, leaving Michael staring after them, angry and humiliated. The people who had noticed the fight watched them go to, staring at Dahlia amazement.

"You didn't have to do that," Cara said as they neared the house. "People are going to start wondering."

"I did have to, Cara," Dahlia said. "Would you prefer I let him hit you?"

"I guess not," Cara answered.

The entered the house quietly in an attempt not to wake anyone, as the sun had already gone down long ago. They went to Cara's room, changed out of their daytime clothes, climbed into bed and were both soon asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

They had barely been asleep for an hour when Cara sat up quickly, waking up with a start. The sudden violent movement and her loud gasp woke Dahlia. She sat up as well and put her arm around Cara's shoulders.

"Cara? Are you alright?" she asked.

"Fine," Cara answered. "Just a bad dream."

Dahlia wrapped her arms around Cara, and laid her back down. Cara moved closer to Dahlia, taking comfort in the contact. After a moment of lying there silently, Cara felt Dahlia's lips press firmly to hers. Cara started to tremble slightly as Dahlia shifted her position so she was lying on top of Cara.

"Are you okay?" Dahlia asked. "You're trembling."

"I'm fine," Cara answered.

Dahlia kissed her again, more passionately this time. Cara wrapped her arms tightly around Dahlia's neck, returning the kiss enthusiastically, yet still a bit shyly.

"Dahlia…?" Cara said hesitantly.

Dahlia looked at her questioningly. "Hmmm?"

Cara hesitated, not quite sure what to say.

Dahlia smiled kindly at her as she finally understood. "You've never….?"

Cara shook her head.

Dahlia kept smiling at her. This new bit of information she had gained made Cara seem, if possible, even more adorable. She kissed Cara again, even more passionately than last time. She broke the kiss after what seemed like an eternity, and spoke again.

"Cara, are you sure you want to do this?" she asked.

Cara nodded. "I'm sure."

"If you want me to stop at any point, tell me, okay?" she said

"Okay," Cara answered.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

The next morning Cara awoke to find Dahlia studying her intently. Dahlia smiled at her when she saw Cara was awake.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully.

"Good morning," Cara answered, smiling back sleepily.

"So," Dahlia said after kissing Cara on the forehead, "what are we doing today?"

"What do you want to do?" Cara asked, propping herself up on her elbow.

"Whatever you want," Dahlia answered. "Isn't there anything in particular you like to do around here?"

"Well," Cara began, "there is a nice secluded place by the river not far from here. We could go there and have lunch or something."

Dahlia raised an eyebrow and smirked at Cara. "Or something…?" she asked.

Cara looked away shyly, which made Dahlia smile. "You can't possible still be shy!" Dahlia said, laughing.

Cara smiled back then got out of bed and went to the closet. She got out two dresses and handed one to Dahlia. They got dressed and left the room to get breakfast. Upon leaving the room, Cara nearly ran into Grace, who was standing outside the door, arms folded, a small smirk on her face. Cara smirked back at her before going around her and into the kitchen, Dahlia close behind her. It was later in the day than Cara usually got up, so her father was already working outside while her mother cleaned up after breakfast. She was about to take some fruit off the table when she heard Grace clear her throat. Cara turned around, and found Grace looking at her, the same expression still on her face.

"What…?" Cara asked.

"Could you two have possibly been any louder last night?" Grace asked, trying to sound annoyed, but not completely being able to hide her amused smile.

Cara blushed furiously and looked slightly horrified. When she didn't answer, Dahlia stepped in for her.

"Oh, I think we could have been much louder," she said, smirking and putting her arm around Cara.

"Well, next time try to keep it down," Grace said, trying not to laugh. "You kept me up all night." She smirked. "And that's not really something I want to hear," she added.

"Sorry," Cara mumbled, still blushing.

"I don't think they were too loud," Cara's mother suddenly said, surprising everyone. "I didn't hear a thing."

Grace turned to her mother. "You were lucky enough not to be in the room next to them," she said.

"Actually," Dahlia said with a slight smile, "If you want to take out your anger on someone, take it out on me, not Cara. She was definitely the quieter one out of the two of us."

She grinned down at Cara, who looked back up at her, a confused expression on her face. She wasn't quite sure what Dahlia was up to.

Grace looked a bit confused. "I'm sure I heard two voices though," she said.

"Yes, I assure you, you did. But I think you probably heard me more than Cara," Dahlia said. Everyone in the room looked slightly puzzled, including Cara, so Dahlia spoke again. "Cara has a natural talent," she explained, smiling slightly.

Grace looked slightly uncomfortable, and Dahlia was satisfied that she had given her more information than she wanted. She was confident that Grace would now drop the subject, a subject which Cara was obviously not comfortable with discussing.

"That's…lovely…" Grace said, "but I don't think I need to hear any more."

Dahlia smiled triumphantly and took some fruit off the table for her and Cara to share. Cara also gather some more food in a basket, grabbed a blanket out of the basket of freshly folded laundry, and after informing her mother that they would not be back for lunch, the two girls left the house. Cara led Dahlia down to the river, and they proceeded to walk along the bank for some distance.

As they walked, Dahlia noticed that the farther they went, the more trees there were. They were just on the edge of the forest. They reached a small clearing, and Cara laid down the blanket by the river and set the basket on the ground. Cara sat on the blanket, and motioned for Dahlia to do the same. Before she sat down, Dahlia pulled up the left side of her skirt, and unbuckled the sheath which held her agiel. Cara hadn't even known she was carrying it with her.

"Why did you bring it?" Cara asked quietly.

"My agiel?" Dahlia asked. When Cara nodded, she continued. "I wanted to have it with me, just in case anything happened," she explained.

As they ate the fruit which Dahlia had brought, Cara kept eyeing the agiel curiously. Dahlia noticed this, but didn't say anything. After some time, Cara finally vocalized what was on her mind.

"What does it feel like?" she asked, nodding toward the agiel.

Dahlia looked at her, trying to think of exactly how to explain it. "Well," she began, "it hurts, but it's more than that really, it's…I don't think I can explain it accurately." She looked at the agiel, then back at Cara. "You can feel for yourself, if you like."

"Okay," Cara said hesitantly. Dahlia picked up her agiel and slowly held it out to Cara. Cara took one finger and cautiously touched it to the agiel. She felt a shocking pain run up her arm and quickly broke the contact, gasping. Yet with the contact broken, she felt herself craving the pain again. Dahlia had been right. It was more than just pain. There was something thrilling about it as well. She touched it again, with two fingers this time, and felt the pain shoot up her arm once more. She didn't break the contact as quickly this time. She let the thrill and the pain flow through her, closing her eyes and enjoying it. The sensation fascinated her. It was pain in its purest form, yet there was something immensely enjoyable about it. She pulled her hand away and opened her eyes again, looking at Dahlia, who silently put the agiel away.

For some time after that Cara and Dahlia lay side by side on the blanket, looking at up at the sky and watching the clouds. As much as it felt strange to Dahlia, she rather enjoyed not having to do anything. They talked some while they ate their lunch, and then returned to silently watching the sky.

"What are you thinking?" Dahlia asked after some time.

"Not much," Cara replied truthfully.

Dahlia smiled. "You have to be thinking something," she said.

"Well, actually, I was just thinking how that cloud looks kind of like a cow with a duck's head," she said, giggling slightly and pointing.

Dahlia examined the cloud carefully. "You're right, it does," she said, smiling back. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked lovingly into Cara's eyes. After a moment she leaned down and kissed Cara tenderly, one hand moving to the blonde's waist and the other gently caressing her cheek.

"I love you," she said after breaking the kiss. Cara smiled and pulled Dahlia back down to kiss her again.

A while later they heard a stick snap, and quickly broke apart, sitting up. Michael was walking toward them, with some other young men that Cara didn't know, but had seen often enough with Michael. They all looked angry. Dahlia and Cara stood up as the men came to a stop a few feet from them.

"What do you want now?" Cara asked, annoyed at the interruption.

"This has nothing to do with you, Cara," Michael said, not looking at her. "Our business is with you…friend," he spat the last word scornfully. "Go home."

"I'm not going anywhere," Cara said angrily. "Why don't you go home?"

"Because I have unfinished business here," he said, pulling a knife from his sleeve where it had been concealed.

Cara gasped, but Dahlia simply rolled her eyes and picked up her agiel off the ground. The men eyed it warily.

"Don't make me use this on any of you," Dahlia said in a threatening voice.

"You're a Mord'Sith," Michael stated, glaring at her. "That explains a lot."

Dahlia glared back. "I don't want any trouble," she said. "I just want to spend a nice day with Cara. Which I was doing until you showed up," she pointed out.

Michael's friends all seemed to think that leaving sounded like a good idea. The all looked nervously at Dahlia with her agiel held at the ready and began to back away. When Michael saw that his friends weren't going to stay to support him, he began to lose confidence. He replaced the knife in his sleeve.

"This isn't over," he said to Dahlia before turning and walking away as well.

Dahlia silently glared after them until Cara spoke.

"Dahlia?"

"I can't stay here," Dahlia said.

"You're leaving…?" Cara asked sadly.

"I have to," Dahlia answered. "Michael knows I'm a Mord'Sith. It won't be long before the rest of Stowecroft knows as well."

Cara knew Dahlia was right, but she didn't want her to go. They gathered up the blanket and food and put everything in the basket, including Dahlia's agiel. They ran back to Cara's house as fast as they could. This resulted in some curious looks from people they passed on the way. Grace, who was in the kitchen as Cara and Dahlia entered the house, raised an eyebrow as they ran into the house and then into Cara's room, slamming both doors. As they were running through the kitchen, Cara dropped the basket next to the table.

Once in Cara's room, Dahlia quickly changed out of the dress and into her leathers. Cara was amazed how little time this took, considering all the lacing she had to do up. Not long after they had arrived at the house, Cara heard someone banging on the door, and then loud voices.

"I'm going to go see what's going on," she said, casting a worried glance at Dahlia.

She left the room, and entered the kitchen to see Michael standing there, arguing about something with Grace. They both looked very angry.

"She's not hurting anyone," Grace was yelling as Cara approached. "Why can't you just leave them alone?"

Michael spotted Cara and walked over to her. "Where is she?" he asked, glaring at her.

"That's none of your business," Cara said, glaring back.

"Don't make me hurt you," he said. "Your little Mord'Sith isn't here to protect you this time."

"I can take care of myself," Cara retorted.

Michael shrugged then took a swing at her face. Cara ducked and darted over to the basket she had dropped, taking Dahlia's agiel out of it and standing back up. She felt the excruciating pain shoot up her arm as it had earlier, but this time it was much more intense, as her entire hand was in contact with the weapon, rather than just a finger.

She held the agiel firmly and walked back over to Michael, still glaring at him. She raised the weapon and held it an inch from Michael's face. He looked at it fearfully.

"You wouldn't use it," he sneered at her. "You don't have the guts."

Cara's facial expression didn't change a bit as she slowly brought the agiel closer, touching it under Michael's chin. He screamed in agony and fell to the ground. Cara didn't break the contact between the agiel and his skin. She glared at him scornfully as he writhed in pain. She felt tears of pain and anger start to fall down her cheeks.

Grace looked on apprehensively. She was surprised at Cara's sudden cruelty. Her sister had always been very sweet, very gentle. Grace realized that Cara must love Dahlia even more than she could imagine if her love could cause her to hurt another human being.

As Dahlia was just finishing dressing, she heard Michael scream and rushed out of the room. She saw Michael on the ground, and Cara standing over him with the agiel. She rushed over to Cara and took the agiel from her. Cara stood staring down at Michael, tears still flowing.

"Get out," she said, her voice deadly calm.

Michael got up and staggered to the door. He cast one more fearful look at Cara before leaving, running as fast as he could.

As he was leaving, Cara's parents entered the house, alarmed expressions on their faces. They saw Dahlia holding her agiel, now dressed in her leathers, and their expressions turned from alarm to fear.

Dahlia ignored them, putting a hand on Cara's shoulder.

"Cara?" she asked softly, "Are you alright?"

Cara didn't answer, but turned around and buried her face in Dahlia's shoulder, sobbing. Dahlia put her arms gently around Cara, pulling her closer.

"Shhh," she said, stroking Cara's hair comfortingly. "It's okay."

Cara felt her knees give way, and she and Dahlia sank to the ground. Dahlia set her agiel down next to her, and held Cara more tightly. She continued to stroke the smaller woman's hair and whisper comforting words in her ear until Cara's tears subsided.

Cara's family continued to watch throughout this time. Grace looked slightly sad, a sympathetic expression on her face. Cara's parents, however, looked rather confused. As Dahlia helped Cara to stand up again, Cara's father's expression turned from confusion to anger.

"Get out of my house, right not," he spat at Dahlia.

"Father, don't…" Cara began.

"It's okay, Cara," Dahlia said to her. "He's just trying to protect his family. I understand." She sounded slightly sad.

Dahlia placed a gentle kiss on Cara's forehead, then turned without a word and left the house. Cara glared at her father as Dahlia left. She just stood there for a few moments, glaring, then ran after Dahlia.

"Dahlia!" she called.

The Mord'Sith turned, and Cara quickly caught up to her.

"Take me with you," Cara begged.

"Cara," Dahlia said, "You know I can't."

"But you can," Cara said. "Take me with you," she repeated. "Train me."

"Cara…" Dahlia began, looking stunned. "I can't, I…I don't want to hurt you."

"Please."

Dahlia looked into Cara's eyes and saw that this really was what she wanted.

"Maybe," Dahlia said finally. "I need time to think about it, to discuss it with the others."

"Okay," Cara answered.

"I'll be back soon," Dahlia said. Cara didn't look convinced, so Dahlia unsheathed her agiel and handed it to Cara. "Take my agiel," she said. "This way you'll know that I will be back."

Cara took the agiel from Dahlia, feeling the pain from it mixing with the emotional pain caused by Dahlia leaving. She stood on her toes and threw her arms around Dahlia's neck, hugging her tightly, not wanting to ever let go. Dahlia hugged her back and kissed her lovingly. Cara fervently returned the kiss, and as she did she felt the tears leak from her closed eyes. When they broke apart, Cara saw that Dahlia had tears in her eyes too.

"Goodbye, Cara," Dahlia whispered.

"Goodbye."

Cara watched as Dahlia turned and began to walk away. Soon Dahlia disappeared into the woods and Cara was alone. She stared at the spot where the woods had devoured her Dahlia, and her vision blurred with tears. She suddenly became acutely aware of the pain from the agiel surging through her body. She gripped the weapon tighter and reveled in the agony it caused. It was the only thing she had left of Dahlia.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: sorry for the long wait for this chapter, i had no computer for a while and wasn't able to work on it. i know it's a bit short, but there will be more coming soon! hope you enjoy it. :)**

Over the next few days, Cara was not herself. She was always on the verge of tears, and never smiled. Her head was always down, and she rarely spoke to anyone. She only left the house when she had to. She always kept Dahlia's agiel with her, in the sheath around her leg underneath her skirt so no one would know it was there. It was her constant reminder of Dahlia, of what she had lost.

Cara was sitting in her room one evening when she heard the shouting of men and women, and the shrill screams of young girls. She went to the window and pushed aside the curtain so she could peek out. She saw people running, picking up small children on the way and bringing them inside. She looked towards the woods, and saw four Mord'Sith walking purposefully toward her house. Her heart leapt as she recognized Dahlia among them. Two of them were slightly shorter than Dahlia. One had light brown hair and blue eyes, the other dark hair and dark eyes. The other was about Dahlia's height, with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Cara dashed out of her room and out the door of the house, and ran straight into Dahlia's embrace.

"Cara, get back here this instant!" her father shouted after her. Cara ignored him and kissed Dahlia happily on the lips.

"Hi Cara," Dahlia said, smiling down at her.

"I missed you," Cara said, smiling back.

"I missed you too," Dahlia answered.

As Dahlia loosened her hold on her, Cara noticed some people from the village giving them strange looks. Dahlia glared at them, and many of them scattered, going back into their houses. When most of them had disappeared, Dahlia turned her attention back to Cara.

"Cara, do you still want to be trained?" Dahlia asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Cara answered. She thought Dahlia didn't look particularly happy with this.

"Are you absolutely sure?" Dahlia asked.

"Yes," Cara said again.

"Okay," Dahlia said. "Come with us." She held out her hand to Cara.

Cara hesitated for a moment. "Can I say goodbye first…?" she asked slowly.

Dahlia looked unsure. These circumstances were far from normal, and she didn't know what she should or should not allow. She glanced at the other three Mord'Sith.

"I suppose that would be okay," the dark-haired one said.

Cara nodded her thanks and ran back to where her family was standing just outside the house. Each of them had a different expression on their faces. Grace looked slightly confused, while her mother looked worried. Her father looked downright furious.

"What is she doing back here?" he asked angrily. "And why did she bring more of them?"

Cara ignored him, instead walked up to him and hugged him tightly. She then proceeded to hug her mother and Grace, much in the same fashion. She looked sadly at them, and spoke one word.

"Goodbye."

Her father looked, if possible, even more furious. "You're not going anywhere with them." He spat. "You're staying right here where you belong."

"I can't," Cara said simply.

"And why the hell not?" her father asked, growing even more furious.

"Because I love her," Cara answered.

"You can find someone else," her father tried to reason. "What about that Daniel? He seems to like you."

"I'm not interested in Daniel," Cara said, annoyed. "Now goodbye."

She turned and walked back to Dahlia and the others, not looking back at her family. As she walked, she heard her father shout after her. "If you leave with them, don't even think about coming back."

She had barely reached Dahlia and the others when she heard shouting. She looked around and saw a horde of men running toward them. Some had weapons, swords and knives and such, others had just sticks or shovels.

"Cara, I need my agiel," Dahlia said urgently as the other three drew out their weapons, taking a defensive stance.

Cara gave Dahlia a pleading look. "Don't hurt them," she begged quietly.

Dahlia sighed. "Alright," she said, motioning for the others to put their agiels away. "In that case, we have to run," she said.

It didn't take long for Cara and the others to lose the villagers. It had been a long time since Cara had run that far, and by the time they stopped, she was exhausted. She sank down onto a tree stump, holding her side and gasping for air. The Mord'Sith were barely out of breath, but they stopped nonetheless to let Cara rest.

"While we're stopped, would you care to introduce us all, Dahlia?" the blonde asked.

"Of course," Dahlia answered, sounding as if the question were ridiculous and unnecessary. "I think you've all figured out by now that this is Cara," she said motioning to Cara. "Cara, this is Hally," she pointed to the blonde, "Raina," she pointed to the dark-haired one, "and Berdine," she said, motioning to the remaining Mord'Sith.

"I can see why you like her," Raina said, scrutinizing Cara. "She's very pretty."

Berdine looked slightly annoyed by this comment, and Dahlia glared at Raina. "I like more about her than her appearance," she said.

"I know, I know," Raina said. "I was only joking."

Cara raised an eyebrow. She had never thought of Mord'Sith as being the sort of people to joke around.

Hally noticed Cara's expression and smirked at her. "What? You think Mord'Sith are all kill and torture?" she asked. "We know how to have fun too."

Cara smiled slightly, beginning to like the other Mord'Sith. Perhaps they weren't as bad as everyone made them out to be. Cara watched as Berdine walked over to Dahlia and put her arm around her, eyeing Cara appreciatively.

"You certainly did well, Dahlia," Berdine said. "She's cute."

Dahlia crossed her arms and smiled slightly at Berdine's teasing. Raina rolled her eyes as she walked over to them and pulled Berdine away from Dahlia.

"Berdine, are you _trying_ to make me jealous?" she asked, putting her arms around Berdine and kissing her nose.

"Always," Berdine replied, smirking, then kissing Raina gently on the lips.

Hally rolled her eyes at Raina and Berdine, then turning to Dahlia, she spoke. "We should start moving again." She was suddenly serious, her jovial mood from before completely gone. "It will be dark soon, and it would be nice to have a meal and a place to sleep."


	6. Chapter 6

After walking for about an hour, Cara and the Mord'Sith came across a small inn. As they drew closer, the sound of talking and laughing became audible. Cara followed Dahlia through the door, the other's close behind her. The noise quickly died out when the people inside saw the four Mord'Sith. Some of them gave Cara a confused glance, clearly wondering what she was doing with these women.

Cara ignored the looks people were giving them and walked up to the innkeeper, who was standing behind the counter. He eyed her warily as she approached. Cara thought that he probably wouldn't be too comfortable around her because of her companions.

"Hi," she greeted him.

"Hello, miss," he returned her greeting.

"We'd like three rooms for the night, if it's not too much trouble," she said, smiling sweetly.

"I only have two vacant rooms," he said, "but I can give you them if that's okay." Her smile seemed to make him a little more comfortable.

"That will be fine," she answered, still smiling.

He went to the wall behind the counter and retrieved the remaining two keys hanging there. When he returned to the counter, he cast the Mord'Sith, who were still standing by the door, another wary glance.

"They're not going to cause any trouble, are they?" he asked, nodding toward Dahlia, Hally, Berdine, and Raina.

"No, they won't," Cara assured him. "I'll make sure of it," she added, winking at him.

He handed Cara the keys, and she handed him some money to pay for the rooms. "Sorry to be so apprehensive," he said. "It's just not often that I get Mord'Sith here."

"It's okay," Cara said, smiling again. "I understand."

"Okay," he said. "Well, dinner and breakfast are included in the price of the rooms," he informed her. "Have a nice night."

"Thank you," she said. "We will."

She gave him another smile before she walked back to Dahlia and the others.

"There are only two empty rooms," she informed them, handing Raina one of the keys. "I'm assuming you and Berdine will want to be alone," she added, smirking at them. "Hally, you can stay with Dahlia and I."

"What makes you think we want to be alone," Berdine said, her hand on her hip, glaring at Cara in mock anger.

"I'm not blind," Cara answered. "I see how you two are around each other." She smirked again, earning a small smile from Hally.

As they sat down at a nearby empty table, Cara wondered at how quickly Hally, Berdine, and Raina had accepted her as one of them, even though she was not a Mord'Sith yet. She was glad that she had become friends with them over such a short time.

The people around them soon resumed their conversations, seeming to forget about the Mord'Sith. Hally and Dahlia discussed the route they should take the next day, while the other three ate in silence. Cara hadn't realized how hungry she was until she smelled the food in front of her. She ate quickly, then found herself very thirsty from the salty food. Raina was obviously thinking the same thing, as she soon got up, announcing that she was going to get drinks for everyone. Cara watched as she paid for the drinks, and somehow managed to carry all five of them back to the table without spilling any.

"Thank you," Cara said as Raina handed her a drink.

She looked into the cup, and saw a clear liquid, which she assumed was water. She took a big gulp, and quickly realized that it was most definitely not water. She coughed as the liquid burned her throat. Hally and Berdine smiled, while Raina giggled. Dahlia looked slightly concerned.

"Cara, are you okay?" she asked, while the others continued to smile.

Cara nodded, still coughing.

"You've never had alcohol before, have you?" Hally asked.

Cara shook her head.

"Well, there's a first time for everything," Berdine said. "Here have another drink." She pushed the cup toward Cara, grinning.

When Cara stopped coughing, she picked up the cup again and took a smaller drink. The taste was actually quite pleasant, and the burning didn't seem quite as bad as before. As she drank more, she started to become accustomed to the burn, and eventually began to enjoy it. She had barely finished the first drink when Raina brought her another. This one was different then the first one. It had a citrus-like flavour, and didn't burn quite as much. The sweet taste allowed Cara to finish it much faster than the first, and no sooner was it gone than Berdine brought her yet another drink, different from either of the previous ones. It went on like this for quite a while. Whenever anyone finished a drink, either Berdine or Raina would bring them another.

After a few more drinks, Cara began to feel a bit lightheaded. Lightheaded turned to dizzy, and soon she was giggling uncontrollably with Hally, who didn't seem able to sit without falling off the bench.

Raina and Berdine soon forgot about bringing everyone drinks, and instead began dancing to the music that a few musicians in the corner were providing. They soon had many of the other people in the inn dancing as well. After a short time Hally stood up, pulling Cara up with her, and the two began to dance. Cara looked around for Dahlia, but didn't see her anywhere, so she continued dancing with Hally.

It wasn't long before Cara had an idea. In her current state, it seemed like a very good idea. She gave Hally a smirk, then climbed up onto the table. She turned around and held out her hand to Hally, who quickly joined her up on the table. She smiled seductively at the Mord'Sith. Hally grinned back, then put her hands on Cara's hips, pulling her close as the two began dancing again. This earned cheers from many of the men in the inn, as well as from Berdine and Raina.

Dahlia, who had been at the bar getting another drink, heard the sudden cheering and turned around. Her gaze was immediately drawn to the table in the center of the room. A large group of people surrounded the table, all of them cheering loudly. Dahlia nearly dropped her drink in shock at the sight of her sweet, innocent Cara dancing very provocatively with Hally on top of the table. She had to admit to herself that while she was incredibly shocked, she was also a bit jealous. She set her drink down on the bar, and made her way through the crowd around the table. When she reached the table, she climbed up and separated Cara and Hally, who immediately started giggling uncontrollably again.

"Hi Dahlia," Cara said, smiling sweetly.

Dahlia glared at them, and they both stopped giggling.

"I think it's time for you two to go to bed," she said sternly.

Cara and Hally exchanged a glance, then started giggling again. Dahlia rolled her eyes, but couldn't help smiling slightly.

"Come on," Dahlia said. She carefully helped Cara and Hally down off the table, as she wasn't sure if either of them could get down on their own without falling.

Dahlia led Cara and Hally upstairs to the room they were sharing. She held the door open for them, then closed it once they were inside. Cara immediately flopped down on the bed, while Hally wandered dizzily around the room. Dahlia sat down on the bed next to Cara, who gave her a silly smile.

"Dahlia?" she asked.

"Yes, Cara?"

"Your eyes are mesmerizing," Cara slurred.

"Thank you, Cara. So are yours," Dahlia answered.

Cara giggled. Hally heard Cara giggle and was immediately rolling around on the ground, laughing hysterically. Cara gave her a strange look, which almost made Dahlia start laughing as well.

Holding in her laughter, Dahlia got up and walked over to where Hally was laying on the floor. She helped the blonde Mord'Sith stand up, then helped her out of her leathers and into bed. She noticed that Cara was no longer on the bed, but had moved to the floor, where she was sitting curled up in a corner.

"Cara?" Dahlia said, crouching down in front of her.

Cara looked up, her eyes fluttering open. "I'm sleepy," she said.

Dahlia thought she sounded like a small child. She smiled at how adorable Cara was.

"If you're sleepy, come to bed," Hally said, snuggling deeper into the thick blankets. "It's cozy," she said, smiling happily.

Dahlia couldn't help but smile and giggle slightly at this. She looked back at Cara, only to find the blonde glaring at her.

"You have a dirty mind, Dahlia," she admonished, still slurring.

"Why is that?" Dahlia asked.

Cara looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "I forgot," she said, looking as though she were trying hard to remember.

"Okay, Cara," Dahlia said. "Bed time." She helped Cara up, supporting her as she stumbled slightly, and led her to the bed. Cara removed her dress and threw it roughly against the wall, then climbed into bed next to Hally.

"Are you mad at your dress?" Hally asked.

"What dress?" Cara asked, confused.

"The one you threw at the wall," Hally answered.

"Oh," Cara hesitated for a moment. "No, I'm not mad at it." She looked confused for a moment before speaking again. "At least I don't think I'm mad at it…I don't remember…" She then spoke to Dahlia. "I'm thirsty," she whined, pouting.

Dahlia smiled. "Okay," she said, "I will go get you some water. I'll be right back. You two stay right where you are," she added. "I don't want you falling out the window or anything." She turned and walked out the door, closing it gently behind her.

Once Dahlia was gone, Hally grinned at Cara. "She didn't say we couldn't jump out the window," she said with a mischievous look on her face.

"I think that's a bad idea, Hally," Cara said. "Besides, Dahlia said to stay where we are. I think it will be hard to jump out the window while staying where we are."

"You're probably right," Hally sighed.

Cara suddenly moved over and gave Hally a big hug. Hally looked surprised, but hugged her back.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"You looked cuddly," Cara slurred, grinning.

Cara laid her head on Hally's stomach, and after a moment, Hally began stroking her hair.

"You're like a puppy," Hally said happily, a big smile on her face.

"I don't feel like a puppy," Cara said. "I feel like a human." She paused. "I think I feel like a human. What does it feel like to be a human?"

Hally giggled. "You don't make any sense," she said.

"I know I don't," Cara said. "I think…I forgot what I was thinking…"

The door opened and Dahlia reentered, carrying a glass of water. She handed it to Cara, who sat up and took it. Dahlia went back to the door and locked it, then put the key down on the bedside table, removed her leathers and got into bed.

After drinking some of the water, Cara offered the glass to Hally, but found her already asleep. She turned the other way and handed the glass back to Dahlia, who put it on the table next to the key. Cara then lay back down and cuddled up closely to Dahlia, who put her arms around her.

"I feel dizzy," Cara said slowly.

"That's what happens when you drink so much," Dahlia said.

"The room is all spinny," she said, giggling. "It's fun."

"I'm sure it is," Dahlia answered, smiling. "But you should really try to sleep."

"Okay," Cara agreed. "Goodnight, Dahlia."

"Goodnight, Cara."

"I love you, Dahlia."

Dahlia smiled and kissed Cara's forehead lightly. "I love you too."


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been really busy with school and such. I hope no one is ready to kill me...I'm still pretty busy, but hopefully I will be able to update more often. Hope you enjoy it!

**Chapter Seven**

Dahlia woke Cara the next morning when the sun was barely starting to peek over the horizon. Dahlia handed her a cup filled with a strange-looking liquid.

"This will help with the headache," she said.

Cara gave her a confused look. "I don't have a headache," she said.

Dahlia looked surprised, and Hally, who had been hiding her face in the pillow and moaning in pain, looked up.

"Not fair," Hally whined, before burying her face in the pillow once more.

Dahlia offered the drink to Hally, who quickly drank it. They waited for Hally's headache to subside a bit before going downstairs. They found Berdine and Raina already sitting at a table, a large plate of fruit and a loaf of bread in the center of it. They had a quick breakfast before leaving.

They walked for a while mostly in silence, with only a small groan from Hally every once in a while. Berdine and Raina led the way, with Cara and Dahlia close behind them, and Hally stumbling along in the back.

After a while, Dahlia spoke. "We're getting closer," she observed. "We'll be there by midday."

"What will happen when we get there?" Cara asked a bit nervously.

"Denna will begin your training," Dahlia said.

"Why can't you train me?" Cara asked.

"I can't," Dahlia answered. "I can't hurt you like that."

"I don't mind if you hurt me, Dahlia," Cara said. "I'm going to be hurt no matter who trains me."

"I know," Dahlia said, "But the pain you will endure…no one would want to do that to someone they love."

"Okay," Cara said, seeing that arguing was useless. She took Dahlia's hand in hers as they continued their journey in silence.

When the sun had nearly reached its highest point in the sky, they reached the Mord'Sith temple. Cara felt very small as she looked up at the stone building that towered over her head. When they entered the temple, they were met by a Mord'Sith with white-blonde hair who was about Cara's height. She stood with her arms crossed and looked Cara up and down before speaking.

"This must be Cara," she said in a cold, even tone. She shifted her gaze to Dahlia.

"Yes, this is Cara," Dahlia answered. "Cara, this is Denna. She will be training you," Dahlia explained.

"Pleased to meet you," Cara said politely.

Denna slapped her hard across the face in reply. In a second Dahlia had Denna on the ground on her back, her agiel at the blonde Mord'Sith's throat. Denna grinned at Dahlia and let out a very girlish giggle.

"Surely you can't expect me to train her without hurting her," Denna said, still grinning.

"No," Dahlia spat, "but never hurt her in front of me," she said, emphasizing the word 'never' to make her meaning completely clear.

Dahlia stood up and walked back to Cara, leaving Denna to get up on her own. She took Cara in her arms, hugging her tightly. They said a quick goodbye, and then Denna took Cara away from the others to begin her training. As she was lead away, Cara looked back at the others, and saw Dahlia looking after her, tears shining in her eyes.

Late that night, when Denna had finished with Cara's training for the day, Dahlia crept into the cell where Cara was kept. She felt as if her heart were braking when she saw Cara laying bruised and bleeding on the cold stone floor. Cara was already asleep, exhausted after the training. Dahlia spread a blanket over Cara, then laid down next to her, taking the sleeping girl in her arms. She held her all night, silently crying for the pain that had been inflicted on the one she loved.


	8. Chapter 8

okay, final chapter. Sorry for the long delay. And sorry for the shortness of the chapter. hope you like it :)

It wasn't long before Cara's training was complete. Everyone was surprised at her quick progress, but Dahlia suspected it was because Cara wanted to learn. She supposed that it only made sense that if someone wanted to be trained, they would finish faster. This was, in fact, the case with Cara. She had a strong desire to be a Mord'Sith so she could stay with Dahlia. She had made up her mind early in her training to do exactly as she was told, and to never resist. As a result, her training was completed much faster than usual.

When Cara finished her training, she decided to take a short trip back to her home. She desperately missed her family, and was determined to make them accept her choice to become a Mord'Sith. She arrived at her old home just as the sun was starting to go down. She immediately saw her father outside, but her mother and Grace were nowhere to be seen.

She cautiously approached her father, so as not to startle him. He didn't see her until she was fairly close. His reaction was not what she had hoped for. He stood with his arms crossed, glaring at her.

"Cara," he said, "You should go."

"You don't understand," Cara tried to reason with him.

"I understand perfectly," he said. "You're one of them now. You're not welcome here anymore."

Cara knew there was no changing his mind. She turned quickly and left, not letting him see the tears that were starting to form in her eyes.

When she returned to the Mord'Sith temple, she was still feeling slightly unhappy. Dahlia realized right away when she saw Cara that something wasn't right.

"Cara?" she asked, hugging her, "What's wrong?"

"I should have never gone back," Cara said simply.

Dahlia didn't need to ask any further to guess what had happened. She had thought about trying to convince Cara not to return to her family, but had decided against it. Cara could be rather stubborn.

"Cara, they don't matter anymore," Dahlia said. She knew it sounded harsh, but it was true. "You don't need them. You have us. We're your family now."


End file.
